The Santoku

 

What Is a Santoku Knife?

A Santoku knife or Santoku Bocho is a Japanese style knife that literally means “Three Virtues”. In view of its uses, the three virtues of a Santoku knife are “meat, fish, and vegetables” however it is also popularly referring to the three main functions of a knife, “chopping, slicing, and dicing”.

I say, it is a cross between a chef's and a vegetable knife.

As Japanese cutting tools go, from traditional knives to chisels and swords that go back centuries in Japan's history, Santoku is a relatively newcomer - a modern one, in fact - because it was designed and originated after the war in 1950.  I don't know the reason behind its creation because most Japanese tools and their makers were traditionalists.  If I were to guess, it must be that immediately after the war when steel and material were scarce, knife makers had to come up with one knife that does the functions of three.  That's my guess and I'm sticking to it. 

That's the first story.  The other story is how I got this knife when I have enough knives already to equip at least two kitchens.

Cutco is a manufacturer, primarily of knives and other household cutting tools located in Olean, New York.  Not too long ago I sent back a pruning shears I've had for years for repair.  Cutco is noted for repairing any of their tools for free throughout the life of the tool - a real "life warranty". Sears Craftsman tools was the other one. But Craftsman is no longer what it used to be. Cutco no longer makes the pruning shears that I had but they're happy to replace it with a much newer design. I informed them that I actually own that one; actually, a much more robust, almost indestructible one. Cutco replied that they'd be happy to give me a $150 credit for the old one, applicable to any cutting tool in their catalogue.  In order to maximize the credit I opted for the new knife that costs $179, with me paying the difference. They shipped it in no time.  Now, that is what I call, real warranty for life, and they shipped it for free. 

And so, the woodworking project to make a knife stand for it began.

I had some leftover pieces of exotic "pink flame" hard wood. I ripped and cut it to dimension on the table saw.

A combination blade make quick work of creating the channels, shown below

A dedicated router chisel smoothed the saw marks

Testing for fit before glue up of the base

Below is the edge profile of the stand

Smoothing the base with a card scraper

Below - cutting the Plexiglas 

Shown below, before inserting the Plexiglas.  It is meant to be removable for easy clean up.

Next to it to the left is a Cutco vegetable knife with a knife stand I made many years ago from the same wood species 

Now, the Santoku is the new resident of the knife metroplex in our kitchen. My wife just declared that no more visas must be issued to another knife for permanent residency.

I'll have to say that the Santoku will be a useful resident, deserving of a permanent citizenship.  Most of all, I am giving a shout out to Cutco for keeping their word.  I don't think there is another company out there that guarantees real and true warranty for life. 

The Santoku just earned the "go-to knife" title in our household,